Book of Swords
by YuusakuAkira
Summary: Human Race has evolved to be able to use magic, and called themselves Dragger. But not all humans evolved into Draggers, some are still stuck as normal human, and one of those humans are Kei. Enrolled to the Elite Dragger Academy with mysterious backstory, Kei start his life as one of the students. I haven't been able to post since my internet blocked this website, happy reading
1. Prologue

Prologue

Kei's body shuddered, he clearly felt his body, but it was a strange feeling for him.

He stood up and looked around the view around him. It was a pleasant green plain, just green grass as far as the eye can see. And somehow this view was so nostalgic to Kei.

As his eyes carefully scans through the horizon, he notice a white thing that looked like dress fluttered by the wind breeze.

Before he even knew when, Kei was already walking towards that white object. And as he getting closer and closer, he notices a beautiful figure under that white dress.

"Finally we meet."

The voice of that girl carried well by the wind, like a combination of a morning birds singing with the joyous bell of a church.

She turns around and reveals her gorgeous figure to Kei's eyes. She gave out a refreshing smile.

Her delicate smooth white skin goes in with a perfect balance with the snow white color of her dress. At the top of her head lies a brown straw hat with a red ribbon neatly attached to it, and under that hat are the jet-black hair which extends to her waist. The gentle breeze made her whole figure looked like a princess in her holiday.

Kei was astonished by the beauty that he forgot to blink, and the very person who made him like that notice it.

*giggle* "You're funny."

The girl sudden reaction snaps Kei out of his amazement.

"Ah! S-sorry." apologize Kei as fast as he could.

But his apologizing attempt was replied by another giggle; it seems that she is rather amused by the way Kei is reacting.

"There is no need for you apologize." said that girl again with a smile.

"My bad," said Kei. "But what is this place?"

After Kei finally be able to hold his mind in place, he couldn't help to ask that kind of question, which is a little rude. But that girl didn't show any sign of anger, instead she answer with gentle voice.

"We're in your dream, Kei. This is a scene within your memories that I found the most lovely." the girl said as she turn her eyes and gaze to the infinite sky.

_'__No wonder it feels so nostalgic, but why I can't remember this kind of scenery?' _Kei thought to himself.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I have failed to introduce myself." said the girl quite suddenly. "My name is Sherry."

Sherry, what a peculiar name, or at least it is what Kei is thinking. Yet, somehow that name rings something in his head, but again like the scenery of that place, he can't remember anything at all.

"You must have questioned as to why I have visited you in your dream, isn't it?"

No, that's not it. Kei wasn't slightly thinking to that extent, given the beauty that was appeared at the front of him has already clogged the gear of his mind.

"I see… That's a little disappointing."

She said that like she was able to thoroughly read Kei's mind.

Sherry tilted her head aside with a disappointed expression hanging on her face, she then close her eyes for a moment.

Kei who were silent for quite some time finally imparts his lips.

"Who are you, Sherry?"

Kei's question somehow startled Sherry for a bit, but that surprised expression only last for a while, and the next second she had already return to her gentle smile. But somehow there is this dark feeling behind the bright smile of hers.

"My time here is almost up; it is time for us to part." Sherry said with a sad tone.

"But I haven't- !?"

Kei words were abruptly interrupted by the sudden gust of wind that almost flew him off the ground. But strangely inside that gust Sherry is still standing calmly as if there is no such thing like such a wind near her at all.

"Please take care of me the next time we meet. Goodbye."

With every word that she said, the wind gust getting stronger and stronger, making it hard for Kei to even keep his feet on the ground, and then finally Sherry's lips move for once again. Kei consciousness was swept slowly, but he can still hear that word clearly.

"Goodbye, for now."


	2. Chapter 1 - The Dragleid Academy

Chapter 1 – The Dragleid Academy

*ring~*

The sound of the noisy alarm clock resounded through the small room, but a moment later a male's hand descend upon the alarm clock and silenced it. Peace returned for the resident of that room.

A few seconds later a figure of a young man roughly at the age of 17 emerged from inside the blanket, his jet black hair that matches the color of his eyes are still messed up. Kei stared blankly at the slightly illuminated room, and then he averts his eyes to the clock by his bedside.

7:50.

"Class…Sleep…" murmured Kei, still half-sleeping.

Then just as the same time, his eyes suddenly open completely and his hand snatched the clock with a tremendous speed.

"Class!" cry Kei as if something had just struck him.

After unknowingly throwing his clock to the wall with full force and turn it into scrap, Kei quickly leap off his bed and hurriedly enter the shower.

Within a minute he was already out from the shower with his boxer on, then running to the front of his cabinet and frantically unloads all of the content to the floor only to take a single beige suit and a blue tie.

After Kei put on his school uniform, just as flustered as he was before, he darted out from his room after snatching a katana from its stead.

But as the moment as he open the door and saw a person standing right there facing him, Kei stopped in his track.

"Wesley? What are you doing here? Weren't the class had already started?" ask Kei quickly.

As soon as that question gets out from Kei's mouth. The boy of the same age in front of Kei which goes by the name Varlixian Wesley put his palm on his face, sighing in disbelief.

"I can't believe you already forgot that today is the day of the Ceremonial Dragleid Tournament trial match-ups, of course there is no class." explain that splendid young man to Kei who was flustered to death by the thought of going late to the class.

There is not a way to blame Kei for his reaction though, their classroom teacher are the monstrous Beast Queen after all.

Sometime later, the two of them has already walking towards the huge field where the match-ups should be held. The enormous presence and the heavy atmosphere of that place clearly felt on Kei's skin.

"I wish I remember today was the match-ups for the tournament. Now my room is messy as heck." complain Kei as he remembered how he threw all his clothes to the floor for his uniform.

"Why are you so flustered this morning anyway?" ask Wesley as they walk.

"I had this strange dream of meeting a girl in a grass plain, she was saying something like I should take care of her."

The explanation that was given by Kei raised a funny expression on Wesley's face. He could not resist laughing.

"Are you really _that_ desperate to find a girl? That is way too exaggerated!"

"Easy for you to say, I am not that welcomed here as you are." reply Kei.

"Sorry."

Wesley's immediate apology was instantly answered by a nod from Kei. They continue all the way to the field without talking.

It was because the special circumstances that Kei is in that he is infamous in the Academy.

As the name implies, the Dragleid Academy was the only Academy in the world that trains the young Dragger into their best potential.

This Dragger is an evolved kind of human that had received their special gift in magic when the Great Portal has opened 100 years ago.

Everyone in the earth suddenly evolved into Dragger, and was able to control the flow of mana inside their body and was able to use magic. But this change weren't occurred to some people, who stayed as a normal human.

Over the course of the century, the population of the superior Dragger exploded in number, leaving the less capable human in a little number. That itself made up a strange wall between the two races, and not long after, the ordinary human was treated as a low class being.

That being said, Kei is the only human that was able to attend the Dragleid Academy, due to the Sword General personal request. And the fact that he was only transferred there a month ago made the condition even worse.

After walking for quite a while, Kei and Wesley entered the field that was already bustling with student that wore the same uniform as they are. The second year student are the one that filled the whole field, the other year seemed to have their match-ups later on.

Kei who had an infamous reputation can easily be spotted even from afar, since the start he is standing there, anyone beside Wesley is keeping their distance.

The match-ups for the Ceremony were held by a certain standards.

First, two students will agree on each other that they will fight, and enter an individual fighting field. The winner gets to proceed to the next stage, the normal rules for a competition.

For Kei, who were unable to use magic, fighting these Draggers would seem to be a suicide. But his face showed no fear as he wields his sheathed katana.

The other student in that huge field has already found their partners, and enter to the individual smaller field to fight, and as the fight ends with victory the students number who was waiting in line to fight started to decrease.

As the time flies by, the contestant started to diminish until a few hours later there is only two people left standing in the field who has yet to battle anyone and move on to the next stage.

The first person was undeniably the only Mitsurugi Kei of the infamous human, and the other person is surprisingly, are the woman that goes by the name "Magic Tome Princess", Escatina Claire.

Even though that Kei is infamous around the Academy, seeing that his opponent is the Princess herself, all of the student's eyes are now onto them, excited to watch the battle style of the Princess.

Inside the barrier protected field, the two people face each other with tense atmosphere hung between them.

"Looks like you have attracted so many spectators, Princess." said Kei as he looks around the scenery around him that is full of watching eye.

"Silence!" shout the Princess. "I am only here to crush you!" said the Princess in high tone.

"Scary."

That remarks by Kei wasn't really stating the truth from the appearances of the Magic Tome Princess.

The Magic Tome Princess Escatina Claire, who is right now, stands before the very eye of Kei, wasn't looking scary at all. One could at least say that she is quite the splendid beauty.

Her body is roughly about 160 centimeters by Kei's observation. Her skin was pearl white colored and it blended quite nicely with the purple colored suit that she wore. The mini skirt that was probably used for the purpose of battle flutter slightly in the slight breeze that blows occasionally.

The Princess's hair is tied into a graceful ponytail by a cute blue colored ribbon. Matching the azure colored eyes of her very perfectly.

The Princess brought out a strange looking book from the Astral Gate that she made from the thin air, a Magic Tome.

There is some class and type of fighting of the Dragger, the Sorcerer who use large inventory of magic and only relies on it, the Fighter who uses their magic to boost their physical ability but still refuses to use any type of weapon. And the last is the 'Drag Saints', complete elite even among the Dragger, and uses a personalized weapon called Weiss.

Escatina Claire is one of the little numbers of Drag Saints, and she bears the title 'Magic Tome Princess' and that Magic Tome she used are her Weiss.

The atmosphere inside the field suddenly froze as soon as Claire muttered a magic incantation and countless Magic Circle appeared behind her.

Even the frozen atmosphere inside the field can be felt from outside as the anxiety rises between the spectator.

As soon as the two of them lock their sights onto each other-

Suddenly Claire made the first move. Without any doubt, she charges in.

Kei clearly sees why she is capable of wielding the title as the one of the Drag Saints, her methods in using the tome was quite interesting.

Claire swung her Tome down with a tremendous force. Whoosh, the sound of the rustling wind came down as the thick book cuts through the air. The body of that heavy book winded forward in a tremendous momentum.

Kei's only took a little step aside to dodge Claire's first attack. And it seems she was using some sort of physical boosting magic since it have enough power to blow someone away by just the ensuing wind pressure.

Once again Claire try to attack Kei, this time she draws a blade made of mana from the thin air and slash it towards Kei's chest. Even then, that move was easily dodged by Kei as he was slightly stepping back.

Claire's attack once again whizzed by, this time faced with a shard of ice being shot at him to his left, he gracefully knocks those ice down with a push from his palm. Then he quietly stand back into his original stance that looked like dancing, he didn't even draw his katana yet.

"You're very capable, Princess."

"Are you mocking me?"

Claire menacingly glances at Kei. Even that dangerous intent glance was looking cute for Kei, as if he had found something interesting.

"!"

Confronted by Claire's numerous fireballs, Kei dodged it quite easily. But there is no time to leisurely admiring her moves, since Kei was only a human, being hit by those magic will bound to give a serious injury.

"What a fascinating moves."

Kei slightly shows a smirk on his face.

"Why aren't you attacking?" the Princess muttered, stating her suspicion.

"I am sorry; I am not required to draw my weapon."

"Are you looking down on me?"

Claire swooped her hand across the air in front of her, and from the trace of her hand before came out something long that looked like a spear that was covered in lightning.

"No, I am not looking down on you. As for my methods, I think it would be unwise to reveal it to you." said Kei leisurely.

Kei, who had his both hand hanging freely for the whole time, slowly rests his left hand on the hilt of his katana, furthermore taunting Claire.

Seeing an opportunity to attack, Claire once again let out a stream of fireballs, but Kei easily dodged all of it and using and unhurried pace, he shifted all around the place and as he closed in on Claire.

"!"

Claire stepped back like a little girl startled by a bark of a dog, while she quickly raises multiple layers of protective magic.

But as Kei finally gets into an appropriate distance, Kei firmly hold the katana with his right hand and slash away from inside the scabbard. And at the same time, Claire swung down the lightning spear in her hand.

Claire's eyes widely opened as the blade of Kei's katana has already stopped beside her ear, cold sweat form at the palm of her hand that holds the tome. The hand in which Claire held the lightning spear was held tightly at the wrist by Kei's left hand, the spear had disappeared into thin air. Furthermore, Kei's face was so close to Claire's, soon later he backs off.

Kei slightly grinned, and then insert the katana back into the scabbard. Claire who is still dumbfounded by the attack just now stand confused, her face start to get a little flustered.

Noticing this, Kei quickly raise his hand to the judge that was waiting by the field line.

"I surrender!" shout Kei, shocking the entire Academy with his action.

He looks again at the Princess who is already had her composure back with her; she is now looking at Kei with a very flustered face.

"Thank you for your time, Princess."

"Wait! Please wait!"

Kei ignored Claire's call completely and marched out from the field as the other students watch him with so many questions in their eyes.

Wesley who stands right in the front of Kei's path silently smiled. He saw through the whole thing.

"You've gotten soft, Kei." said Wesley as Kei quietly walk past him.

There is no answer from Kei; he only smiled as he walks off. But then Kei suddenly stop on his track and turned around to face Claire.

This time the reply to Kei's move was a sudden turn from the Princess, and she walk off while her face flustered so much, the red is even visible from Kei was standing.

Regardless of the dangerous killing intent that she had showed Kei before, right then her expression was rather cute.

Being a Princess or a Drag Saints, she was just only a girl of sixteen or seventeen years old.

And that match-ups battle end up with a strange note hanging in the air.

The rest of the people that is still in the match-ups will continue that same process until there are only 50 peoples left standing. These 50 individuals will be the next rooster of the tournament that which will be held in the next 3 month when the Dragger Emperor, Alexander Reinhald, will be attending the Ceremony.

As for Kei, after leisurely walking off the battlefield with the surrender action he took earlier in the battle, he had little interest in the event. So he decided to go to the city of Grandeur, which is located southeast from the Academy, and only need a little walk for the student to go there.

The City of Grandeur has been long ago known as the Academy City, since the Dragleid Academy itself were located inside the perimeter of the city.

Even from before the Great Portal appearances and the massive change, the city of Grandeur had been known for its huge market and the commodities it offers. One can find that in that market almost everything can be found from a simple everyday needs, to the rare and peculiar object such as artifacts and antiques.

After the Great Portal appeared, the market of Grandeur grew even more in size. And most of the people shopping there were now the students from the Academy that shops for their everyday needs.

Kei approached the front gate, but before he can walk outside an old man greet him and Kei stopped to greet back.

"It has been a while, Kei." said that old man in a kind tone, he is smiling.

"I haven't really had the time to go out these days, Mr. Jin." replied Kei, approaching that old man named Jin.

"Going to the city?" ask that old man.

"Yeah, I am out from the match-ups since it isn't really interesting anymore."

"I see. Take care on the way then, I have to get back to work." explain Mr. Jin as he held the leaf fork in his hand.

Kei only answered with a smile, and then continue to walk to the city below.

Like Kei, Mr. Jin was also a human; he applied to the Academy for a job and fortunately accepted for his ability in gardening. Kei first met Mr. Jin in the first day he is transferred into the Academy, and Mr. Jin helped Kei to find his dormitories and after that they haven't meet at all since Kei had to catch up with the rest of the Second Year students.

At the same time, inside the girl dormitories bathroom.

Claire is taking a shower, letting the cold water run through her body as she stand still.

For Dragger women, it is often said that cold water gives them the best relaxation and sometime most of them would only bath for pleasure. But the expression in Claire's face wasn't that of someone who are calming down their nerves.

She couldn't forget what happened earlier at the field. She won, but it doesn't satisfy her that the fact she had gotten her victory from an enemy who is voluntarily giving up.

She held her right wrist with her left hand; she can still felt the warmth of Kei's hand. Her face suddenly turn beet red, flustered with embarrassment.

"What did he think he is doing!?" shouts Claire in that spacious bathroom, her voice reverberated through the wall and disappear into the sound of the running waters.

Slowly as the water trickling from the bangs of her hair, she lightly bit her lips.

Everybody must have looked at it-

"You're winning anyway, isn't that good?" she remember one of her friends trying to comfort her, but it didn't change the fact that the transfer student named Kei, has already tamed the ferocious Princess.

The water hitting her head suddenly turns into vapor as her anger reaches her limit and her magic unconsciously leak out, but she ought that it wouldn't change anything, so she stops there, letting the water flow once again.

"I will get you next time, transfer student." muttered Claire with a clear fire of will in her eyes.

Almost reaching the city, the air had gotten slightly warmer. But somehow Kei felt a slight chill and sneezed.

"It's rare someone is thinking about me these days." said Kei as he rub his nose, and continue to walk into the city.

For Kei who was born in the Eastern World, a sudden sneeze is often said that someone is talking about you at your back, and also often that someone is thinking about you.

Or so his foster parents said to him, there was no real reason to believe in it, but he believed it anyway.

The Grandeur City with all of its building now stands tall before Kei. He had already reached the city by walking from the Academy for only 15 minutes.

All of the building inside the City was influenced by the new style of architecture using magic and some of them was completely altered the law of physics by using magic, a floating clock tower for example.

But even in that streets surrounded by magic architecture, there is some part of the town that is still hang on to the tradition and still using the outdated style of building, which make it kind of authentic in this kind of environment.

One of them was a restaurant called Leussier, which Kei has now stood at its front.

The Leussier used the early renaissance era of building architecture, and some of its part of the building also looked like that it adopted some esthetical value from the eastern world early architects work. And they blend it together into an open, wall-less, restaurant.

Kei enter the place like it was something that has become a habit to him. And he quickly goes by the counter and talk to a petite lady wearing a cute maid outfit who is standing there.

"Hello there, a bit of beer?" ask that petite bartender.

"No, just a milkshake will do, I'll get knocked over in my way back if I drink those alcohol." requested Kei politely.

After hearing her costumer request, that petite girl skillfully takes a canister of milk and a medium-sized glass. And after a minute of amazing bartender show, the milkshake is ready and served right at the front of Kei.

Faint smile spread across Kei's face as he looked back and forth at the milkshake and the little girl that was just serving it to him.

"You need to change those moves, Lily." comment Kei as he gulps down the milkshake.

"What? Didn't I see some astonishment in those eyes of yours when you see I move?" protests the girl.

Kei only raise his right hand and put only a little gap between his thumb and index finger, mimicking the word 'A Little'.

"Humph! You're not going to get any dinner tonight!" shout the little girl named Lily in confidence, puffing her flat chest.

"You know, if you do that, you're going to look like a child."

"Eh? That isn't true."

No extreme rebuttal this time, instead she was just looking at her outfit with perplexed look.

"Wait, you're just teasing me aren't you?" said Lily by the time she realized that a smirk had already spread on Kei's face.

"Just a little bit." said Kei in response.

"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't today the match-ups for the Ceremonial Dragleid?"

"Killing my time for the most part, I surrender at the first round, and then after I lost my interest I came down here to drink." explain Kei, taking another gulp down his milkshake.

"Just what are you thinking anyway, your place is not here anymore." sigh escapes Lily's lips.

"Wrong. I felt like this is my place."

The City of Grandeur may be like it was already filled with Draggers, but since Kei had spent one year of his childhood in that city, it was felt more like home than the place where he lived now.

Lily and Kei met at that time in one year.

Lily was a little daughter of the local human merchant, and at that time Kei was just moved into the city by following his master, a human named Mitsurugi Reika.

Back then Kei was still in training, so he often came to play with Lily that he treats like his own little sister. But after a year, his master Reika decides that they had to move to another place to continue their training.

Ever since then, Lily and Kei only communicating through letters, and after 10 years of not seeing each other, Kei finally steps back into the city and get into the Dragleid Academy. That fact itself was come into realization under the request of one of the most influential man in the Dragger society, The Sword General.

"Hey, stop daydreaming."

Lily's call certainly snapped Kei from his reminiscing of the past. Something had happened at the market.

"What happened!?" ask Kei to Lily as the two of them run to the front of the restaurant to get a clear view.

The scene that was happening right now in front of Kei and Lily was so abstract and strange, and it looked like a scene that would have unfolded only in a story books.

A Minotaur, beast with the body of a human with bull's head that should only exist in books, is standing right on the middle of the streets in that bustling market, rampaging and destroying anything in its path.

"I don't have time for this."

Kei shot forward with a momentum that would cave in the ground under him, straight to that Minotaur. And as he gets into better distance, Kei swung down his katana with a tremendous force exerted to kill.

"!"

As Kei landed on the ground behind that Minotaur, a clanking noise can be heard as soon as the horn of that beast fell into the paved road. But that beast horn wasn't the only thing that broke, Kei noticed a little crack at his katana blade where he strikes at the horn.

"Just what is this thing made of?" said Kei with a little concern in his voice.

Noticing that its horn had been cut off by a small human; the Minotaur completely averted its attention to Kei. Letting out an agitated cry that trembling the ground, that Minotaur charged at full speed.

"Tch…!"

Kei click his tongue as he evades the charge with only slightly stepping aside, and at the same time he slashed at the beast body.

But that beast skin is hardly scratched by Kei's attack, instead the attack that Kei released snapped his katana blade, the little clanking sound is made as the short tip fell to the ground.

"I see that I can't cut you down, quite a troublesome thing." said Kei as he threw away his broken katana, wielding only the scabbard by his left hand. "But at least I can expect to some beating up!"

Once again Kei leapt off to the air with so much momentum that the paved road let out a circling dust. This time he is aiming at the beast's head, and after he had reached the appropriate distance he release a series of attack using the scabbard a sword to the beast head.

Confidently landing to the ground, Kei didn't notice that the beast's fist was already flying at him.

"!"

By the time he had realized that, it was too late to dodge so he tried to brace the impact using the scabbard, but the strike never came.

"Stop being so foolish, you jerk!"

A familiar voice shouted a Kei who now sees that the beast attack had been repelled by a magic shield.

The familiar voice was owned by Escatina Claire who stood behind Kei.

"What are you doing here? Isn't the match-ups still going?" ask Kei as the two of them kept a safe distance from the beast.

"I could ask the same to you, human. Ditching a school event and even involved in this mess." protests Claire as she reapply another magic barrier right in front of them.

"I guess I can't help it since I am famous with trouble, can I?" reply Kei.

They suddenly stop their chatter as the Minotaur finally broke the first magic barrier that stopped the attack from reaching Kei back then.

"I need a weapon…" mutter Kei as he closely inspects the beast that is trying to break another barrier by punching it countlessly.

"Don't ask me, I can't give you the materialized mana weapon since you won't be able to control the mana flow. Ugh!"

It's true; Kei wouldn't be able to keep the weapon in its materialized form even if Claire gave him one, furthermore summoning such thing would only increase the strain on Claire that is giving her best to keep rebuilding the barrier that is destroyed by that beast in a tremendously extreme pace.

"Princess, protect the citizen, I have something in mind." said Kei suddenly.

"What are you planning to do!?"

"Just please do as I said!"

Claire nodded in response of Kei's pledge, she stopped rebuilding her magic barrier and fall back to the where the citizen are watching, protecting them in a huge barrier.

Even though he said that he would do something, there was actually nothing in his head that was reasonable enough to take care of the beast that now slowly closing in on him.

"It seems I'm right on time, Kei."

Despite the chaos he is in, there is no mistaking the voice just now, it was Sherry.

"Sherry!?" shout Kei, frantically looking around him for the woman in his dream.

*giggle* "I'm glad you remember me, but right now I can't show myself since our contract hasn't forged."

"What are you talking?"

"No time to explain, you don't want to be crushed by that aberration, don't you?"

Sherry's voice was right, there was no time to think through everything, that thing is moving closer and it needs to be taken care of fast.

"Looks like you're ready now. Follow my instruction from here."

Following Sherry's instruction, Kei swept his hand along the thin line, just like when a Dragger summoning a materialized weapon. As he was a human, there is no chance that this method is going to work, but suddenly from the trace of his hand a slender katana blade materialized from the thin air.

With one swift motion, Kei took that blade and ready his stance. Under the bright light of the sun, the azure blade shone with an icy luster.

As soon as the Minotaur locks his sight on Kei, it suddenly punches downwards.

With his natural movements, Kei easily dodged the attack. That huge fist hit the ground with so much power that soil flew around and the ground caved in like there was an explosion.

But its attack didn't stop, using another free hand, it sweep aside. With much difficulty, Kei barely dodged the attack. A roar like a thunderous gale can be heard as that huge hand slid past through Kei's torso.

Kei kept his safe distance once again by landing on a roof, and the beast is following closely. There was no time to relax.

Without warning, Kei leapt up to the sky with so much momentum that he is flying right on top of that beast.

Falling slowly and gaining speed, Kei fall head first with his pose still in stance. The beast trying to stop Kei using its hand, but Kei dodged it without any trouble. And in one swift move, Kei swung down.

That beast is now lying lifelessly on the streets, while Kei land safely in front of it. But as soon as his foot touches the ground, all strength leaves him and he fell to the road.

His view is getting blurrier as time passes, and finally only a black void engulfs Kei's vision. The only thing that he can hear inside the void was a gentle voice.

_"__Thank you."_


	3. Chapter 2 - The Tome Spirit

Chapter 2 – The Tome Spirit

Kei open his eyes and find that he is lying on a bed.

Chatter can be heard outside the window, and the bright morning light enters the room.

His head hurt, Kei can actually heard the blood pulsing through his vein.

As he gazes to the white ceiling, Kei noticed something and sat up. This isn't his room.

What he's wearing now isn't even the Dragleid Academy uniform, what Kei is wearing now is a white pajamas, and as he look around the room almost everything inside it was white.

"This reminds me of a hospital…" comment Kei as he tries to get of bed.

Just as he yanked the blanket and try to get out of the bed, a book fell over from the top of the bed to the floor.

As the thud noise subsided, Kei had a really strange feeling about that book, and as he approach it, his feeling became true.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"What the heck?"

Freaked out, Kei frantically steps back until his back touches the wall, while the book whence he heard the voice from, still lying there on the floor motionless.

"Just what the hell was that?" said Kei as he slowly walks to that book.

"Don't call me 'that'! I'm a proper Book Spirit!"

Once again that book shouted out, this time it cried out extreme protest about how Kei calling it. Kei was now astonished, although he was still shocked that the fact there is a talking book right in front of him right now.

"What are you?" ask Kei, still maintaining his distance.

"Didn't I tell you before? I'm a book spirit!"

The high voice went out from that book highly resemble the voice of a girl, in fact it is a voice of a girl. Kei muster the courage in his heart and pick up that little book.

Despite it slim size, that leather-covered book was actually quite heavy. Kei measure the weight while tossing it lightly to the air.

"Watch it, you drop me and you're dead." threaten the book.

"And how exactly?" taunt Kei.

As soon as Kei realize it was a bad move, the book in his hand suddenly lit up in a blinding light, and when the light finally disappears, a cold metal was already touching Kei's neck.

"Exactly like this."

As Kei feel the cold sharp metal touching his neck, in front of him already stand a girl, about the same age as Kei, but strangely her appearance is the same as the woman that meet him in his dream.

"Sherry?" escaped from Kei's lips was the name of the girl in front of him. "!"

A groan escapes Kei's mouth as sharp pain felt along his neck, accompanied by a warm, thick sensation slowly dripping down his nape.

The girl who looked like Sherry but with a sharp expression has already pulled back the sword, blood tainted a small portion of the blade, then with a gentle motion as if licking a popsicle, Sherry lick the blood.

"Your blood is quite rich and warm, full of vitality, not like those damn magic users." said the girl, gulping down.

Kei who was in the state of shock put his hand on his neck, but strangely when he look at his hand, the blood that was supposed to be there are gone. His nape doesn't even feel any pain at all.

"You're quite gullible for a man that was able to pull this side of me, but I guess meeting my lovey-dovey side would have been too good."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, it looks like I forgot to mention my name; I'm Leona, the two-faced Sword Goddess."

"Two-faced?" ask Kei in bewilderment.

"I believe you've met my weaker self, Sherry. She's the other side of me here standing in front of you, and because I don't have the ability to go inside your mind, she did the job."

Kei, who still confused only show a stupid expression in his face.

"*sigh* Just let me show you…"

At a moment, the girl who called herself Leona closed her eyes, and after a while it opened again, now the expression on her face seemed to be gentler than before.

"We finally meet in this world, Kei." said the girl, smiling like Kei remembered her in his dream.

"Sherry?" once again Kei call that name, in questioning tone.

"Don't be so surprised, after all I'm the one who didn't tell you about my other self."

She chuckled gracefully, like last time. And suddenly her face showed a stern expression.

"As you can see, I'm a weaker version of the Sword Goddess. And after the contract is formed, you subconsciously give power to both of us, but even then, I do not enough power to maintain my personality in this world."

"So what you mean to say was you're a Goddess with two sides of personality?" said Kei in disbelief.

"That's right, but not only our personality, my given power and Leona's power became different as she gains her power from your will, and I get it from your dreams."

"I still can't understand… How come you can't have your own body?"

"Because we're one, I am just a part of her."

As Kei was going to talk, Sherry closed her eyes again, and the moment she open her eyelids, the sharp expression from before are back.

"You're stupid, can't you tell by listening to her?" protests Leona abruptly.

"Wait? What the, you're Leona again!"

"Of course, dumb. She is my other self; just get it over with in your head."

Kei was certainly shocked, but as he try to comprehend what was going on, his head felt like it can't handle something more crazy than this.

"Now that has been taken care of, I have to dote on my master first." said Leona with a bewitching smile.

"Dote?"

The instant that word escapes Kei's lips, he was already lying on the bed once again, Leona is sitting directly on his hips that he can't move his body anywhere at all.

"What are you doing? Get off!" said Kei as he struggle to free himself, which is a futile attempt while his hand are pinned down by Leona.

"Like I said, I'm going to dote on you." said Leona, looking disdainfully towards Kei.

_"__Sorry Kei, since you are our first master, Leona urges are getting restless, so please bear with it."_ Sherry's voice rang inside Kei's head.

It seems that Leona can hear what Sherry is talking, so she showed a little ticked expression.

"Sherry, don't blame it all on me, you like this kind of thing too."

_"__Well, it's not that I dislike it; we need his power after all."_

The Sherry in his head and the Leona that was talking in front of him completely derailed Kei's train of thought.

Pinched between Leona's thighs, Kei's breathing starting to get ragged as Leona placed her two hands against Kei's chest, rubbing it gently.

The expression that Leona's bring about on her face while looking down impishly at Kei, her bewitching smile slowly takes over Kei's senses.

Slowly, Leona rests the upper parts of her body at Kei's chest. Her face was so close that the two of them can feel each other's breath. It was so close that it brought about something that made Kei hesitate to speak, the sweet aroma of a girl.

In his dreams and just now, he didn't have the privilege to observe Leona's figure, but as their limbs touching each other right now. Kei finally feel the volume and softness of the woman resting on his body. Her body is as bewitching as her smile was.

Getting close as they get, Leona's upper body hugged tightly to Kei, while her luscious lips letting out hot air at Kei's ear.

Kei's body shudders, the shock from having his ear blown made him shivers all over.

"Cute. *giggle*" whisper Leona to Kei's ear.

Even the whisper just now made Kei's skin tingle from a pleasant sensation, and everything Leona did made his mind slowly turning blank.

And slowly, as his breath even became more irregular, Kei gradually lost his consciousness.

Once again Kei opened his eyes, his breathing was ragged and his heart is racing. He realized that it was just a dream.

The dream he was just seen right now really took a toll on his body; he felt the extreme fatigue as if everything happened inside the dream was real.

Kei sat up, looking around the room. The room he's in right now is extremely clean and everything inside that place is colored white with a light stripe of golden.

The household items and the furniture are high class, and somehow the room gives him a familiar impression.

"This is the dormitory…" muttered Kei.

But as far as he can say, there is no way that his room can be this clean, and everything inside that place was so luxurious that it's not even near possible for Kei to afford those things.

This room certainly gives off the atmosphere of a girl's room.

Suddenly a door that leads inside the room opened.

"Ah! You woke up."

A girl wearing maid attire carrying a towel and a basin emerged from that door. She looks slightly older than Kei, but somehow her sophisticated way of talking even more elegant.

"Wait, who are you might be?" ask Kei.

After putting the basin and the towel right at the little table beside the bed, that girl stands beside the bed.

"My name is Natalia Sabine. You can just call me Natalie." said the maid introducing herself.

"Ah, I'm Mitsurugi Kei." answer Kei nervously.

Natalie just stood there at the bedside, smiling gracefully at Kei. While Kei himself was tortured by the awkward silence, a minute pass by and there's still nothing.

"I'm sorry, but Natalie, can you tell me where am I right now?" ask Kei.

"You're in Young Mistress Claire room."

"Eh? Claire?"

Shocked, Kei fell into silence and think hard.

Is it really that Claire? The one who tried to kill me at the field? But she saved me when the Minotaur attacked… She's a Dragger!

Those words were spiraling in his head as he trying to comprehend the situation he is in. He tried his best to recall that event from before.

First he beat Claire, surrendering voluntarily that looked like more likely an insult to Claire, getting messed up with the incident at the market, and then he kind of passed out later. There is absolutely no way in his mind that Claire would care enough to bring him to the room, thought Kei.

When Kei is still trying his best to think how this development could be possible, the uninformed Kei is given another surprise as another person enter the room.

"Ah, I see you already woke up." greet Claire as she enters the room, while gracefully waving her ponytail.

"Y-yeah…" reply Kei.

It seems Claire had a very sharp sense towards these things; she is able to sense the doubt within Kei's voice.

"Is there something wrong?" ask Claire.

"No, it's just that, why did you treat me like this? I'm a human."

"I see, so that's what you're worried about. Just to be sure, I'm not doing this on my own will, the board requested that you are to be treated until recovered, since they need some information from you regarding the Minotaur attack." said Claire as she slightly turns her head aside, a faint red appears on her cheek.

"My Lady, you should be honest sometime." comment Natalie.

"Na-Natalie, don't say something that would cause misunderstanding!" complain Claire, she is somewhat flustered.

Seeing another side of Claire made a huge improvement of Kei's image of her, and Kei couldn't help but to smile. To Kei, this side of her really suits her.

"Ah…! W-well… since you've already up and moving, could you please get out from my room?" said Claire.

"Uhm... Yeah, I guess I better do that, since this is your room that means that this is the girl's dormitory, not a place for a guy."

As he was trying to get off the bed, he slowly get out from the bed while sliding the blanket off him, and just when he already got out from the bed, the three of them in that room noticed a strange bulge in the blanket.

"Eh? That's strange." mutter Kei.

"What is this?"

Curious, Claire goes over to the bed, and yanks the blanket away with one pull. Under it was a book.

"Is this yours?" ask Claire as she take the book.

"I don't remember having that book, but it feels kind of familiar…" answer Kei.

"Well, whatever, this is not my book so go on and bring it."

While ignorantly speaking, Claire tossed that thick book across the room to Kei.

Kei catch the book with little effort, and after he gets his clothes and belonging from Natalie, Kei quickly snuck out the girl's dormitory with little effort.

Moments later, Kei had already back in his room, lying nonchalantly on his bed while inspecting the book he found from Claire's room to the smallest nook and cranny.

"What is this book anyway? I've never seen this kind of writing around, it looks like an ancient writing of my primitive ancestor, though I can't really read it though." Mutter Kei as he inspects the book closely.

The book is quite thick, no matter how one would see it. That book is also covered by leather made hard cover with some unique embellishment at some edges and the spine. And finally the most noticeable part is the symbol made of silver that seems to be molded together with the hard plate under the leather cover.

The symbol looked like a girl sleeping, entwined in some kind of binding, tree root or something like that while holding a slender piece of rapier next to her chest, Kei felt somewhat familiar to that symbol, like he was drawn to it naturally.

_"__Be sure to go to the Principal's Office after you get back to your room, he wanted to hear your part of the story regarding the Minotaur attack."_

In the middle of his pondering, Kei suddenly remember the thing that Claire had told him right before he sneak away from the girl's dormitory.

"I guess it's time to go to the Principal Xavier Office…" mutter Kei.

He get up from his bed and put down the mysterious book on top of the bed, and after swiftly changed into another set of uniform Kei walk out from his room.

Today Kei was supposed to have a full recovery in his own room, like instructed by the principal, but since the Principal himself requesting him to come down to his office to explain some matters that happened yesterday, he can't help it but to go anyway.

Dragleid Academy campus ground is astonishingly wide, and all the buildings there just making it looking more and more majestic. That was the first impression Kei had been imprinted with the first time he step his foot inside that place, and that impression once again struck him as he walk the way to the Campus Administration Building where the Principal's Office is located.

"*sigh* this place is indeed beautiful, too bad that I can't enjoy anything in this place because of my status as a human." Kei talks to himself.

Kei walks on a paved road that is cutting the square campus ground into a four section; there is something in the center of the campus ground that resembles the center of beliefs of all Draggers. It is a statue of the Draglied Goddess Lissia.

After cutting straight to the center of the plaza, Kei take a turn to the left towards the Administration Building.

Despite being the most important place in the campus, the Administration Building is considerably small, and only three stories high.

Principal Xavier Office is on the third floor and is located at farthest point of the building that faces directly to the campus ground.

After stepping inside the mana-powered lift, Kei pressed the button to the top floor, and the metal box starts to ascend with a wheezing noise.

However, as the lift ceased to move and slowly opening its gate, what greet Kei there was only a handful of books that is scattered in the straight door-less hallway. Dark as it is, only a speck of golden light that was visible at the very end of the hallway.

Strangely, that hallway wasn't looking as new as the very building outside appearance. That hallway, if put into words, are the hallway of a dilapidated old house, dark and abandoned.

There is a moment of doubt in Kei's thought, and it is growing intense as he gets closer to the door in end of that hallway. Something in Kei just telling him that something is wrong.

Finally after some walk, Kei arrived at the front of that door. Just one push of his hand and that door would be opened and reveal the inside of the room, but there is something that pushing him back.

"Why do you hesitate? Please, enter."

A heavy yet gentle voice echoed from inside the room, and it was enough to persuade Kei to open the door.

Inside, Kei discover a dimly illuminated room by candles that are standing all over the floor. And sitting in the middle of the room is the figure of a man in his middle twenties, inhaling a big cigar that permeates the room with a distinct tobacco smell.

"I see that you found this room quite fast, even my brightest student would have a problem finding this room."

"What do you mean, sir?"

Instead of answering Kei's question, Principal Xavier just chuckled. There was something that amuses him in Kei's answer.

"I'm sorry; I forgot that you didn't have the ability to muster mana."

"And what about it, is it something strange?"

"You must've seen the scattered books in the hall way right? Those books are not really books, but a type of rune that I made myself to disturb the mana flow of the people around it, so that hallway should look like a maze to a Dragger."

"I see, so the reason I was able to find this room right away because I have no mana flowing in my body."

"Good conclusion, my boy."

Principal Xavier stands up after laughing for a while.

"It's good to finally meet you, Kei. Your master Reika was a really good friend of mine." Says Principal Xavier as he raises his hand to shake Kei's hand.

"My master also talks a lot about you, Principal."

After they had shook each other's hand, Principal Xavier sit back down on his seat.

"Please, sit down."

After sitting down, the two of them exchange look, and they started a rather serious conversation.

"So since I am already here, I'm just going to ask why you are calling me."

"You're really not wasting your time aren't you?" Comment Principal.

"I believe that you are going to say something important, so I won't." reply Kei shortly.

"Well, I was hoping I can have a little chat before jumping into the serious stuff, but if you say so I will leave the chatter."

After saying that, Principal Xavier reach out his hand to the desk beside him and take a book from there, then open it right away by using the marker that he must've put in there before.

"I believe that you are familiar with this planet myth, Kei. So you must've known a mythical beast from the Greek Mythology called Minotaur."

"Yes, I do. Minotaur is a beast which had a bull as a head and human as its body."

"Well, and it is the very beast that you fought yesterday."

"I am well aware of that."

"Frankly, I was amazed of how you are able to take down such a huge creature. And seeing your ability at the match-ups I was thinking that you could do some favor for me."

"What is it?"

"I will give you time to think, so come to the cafeteria tomorrow noon. There will be someone who will be waiting for you there, that person will give you some briefing."

"I see… So if I didn't want to accept it I simply just don't have to go to the cafeteria."

Principal Xavier only nods his head while smiling.

"I see, I will be excusing myself then." Said Kei as he stands up and leaving the room.

_This is going to be interesting. _Thought Xavier as he watch Kei walks out from his door.

The next day, and the Academy is still busy with the ceremonial event that there is not even a single student in the class and studying. They are all either preparing themselves for the next round in the match ups that will decide for who get to fight in the Ceremonial Dragleid, or taking their time to decorate the place as much as they can to liven things up.

And as for Kei, he is walking leisurely at the campus grounds and was heading to the cafeteria to go see what favor that had been asked to him by Principal Xavier yesterday.

When he arrived at the cafeteria, Kei is little shocked by the fact that there is so little presence of the other students there in cafeteria despite being the liveliest place at the whole campus when it comes to this kind of free time.

"Kei, I've been waiting."

An unfamiliar voice calls Kei name from one of the eating table, and at the middle of those empty seats and table, sat one girl with her eyes looking towards Kei while her gaze is signaling that she is the person that Kei was supposed to meet there.

"How do you know my name?" ask Kei as he approach the sitting girl.

"Fufu~ I wonder now~" giggled that girl in an enticing tone.

"Then I guess you know my name from the Principal since he said that someone would be waiting for me here, and I think he is referring you." said Kei as he point out his conclusion.

"Bingo! You're quite sharp despite that stupid looking expression that you had all day." That girl compliment Kei while coating some kind of harassment under it, Kei notices that and just giving up a wry smile. "But that aside there would be no one that wouldn't know you in this Academy actually, since you're the one and only human in this place and the first male to even tame the Princess."

After saying those, she suddenly tenses up and reacts as if something had slipped up her mind and now she is remembering it suddenly.

"Ah! I forget to introduce myself. My name is Matsuri Rea, nice to meet you!" said that girl as she stands up and raise her hand to shake hands with Kei.

"I'm Mitsurugi Kei, and I believe I don't have the obligation to reveal more than my name since I believe you already done your background check on me already."

"Ah, you impress me even more now. I guess it's not really a shock since you are the only human that was able to attend this Academy. But to clear things up, I'm not the one who really did all the check, it was the Principal that gives me your entire document, and I of course took that chance to read some things."

"I see. So what is this favor that the Principal wanted me to do?"

"Before that, let's sit down before my foot gets tired from all the standing. Being the Head Knight of this school requires me to always patrol here and there most of my free times off the lecture."

As she said that, the two of them sat down at the eating table where Rea had sitting down earlier when she called out to Kei.

"So, you're a Titania then?" ask Kei first thing as soon after they settled down on the chair.

"Yeah, I'm the Captain of the Titania Knights that protect this Academy, though some people out there just think of us as a cover to make an army consisted of Dragger." Explain Rea with an annoyed expression.

"I see, typical image misunderstanding. But if you're having that kind of high position, why are you sitting right here on your own, that is kind of defenseless, don't you think?"

"Maybe, but I don't really like to be tailed here and there by some bodyguards. It's not really ladylike."

"Your appearance already told me that much."

Kei, who was bluntly said those things suddenly changes his expression as he felt an ominous feeling coming from the direction of Rea.

"Ah… we only have met for about ten minutes and you already said such things." Answer Rea darkly, there is that ferocious intent coming from her.

"I'm sorry, I said too much."

"Hah… good thing you're an honest person that quick to notice his own fault. I'll let you off this time."

As Kei watch Rea sighs with a big voice, there is an impression that suddenly building up inside him about Rea.

She was fine, her looks and appearance is not really a problem. She is quite beautiful, and her long brown hair that was set loose really matched her high body posture. She was about the same height as Kei and that was about 170 cm, quite high for a girl standard. But other than that, she has the body of a normal girl like usual.

"Washboard…" mutters Kei quietly to himself.

"Did you say something?" ask Rea.

"Eh? No-nothing in particular, so what about the favor?" said Kei quickly and changed the subject.

"Hmm… I sense something fishy… but whatever. The Principal asked me to do some investigation on a rather mysterious event that has been happening quite frequent at the small village to the north. What's it called again?"

"Cloud Hill?"

"Ah! That's it, Kei! You're really knowledgeable even though you're not from here. I don't even remember the name of the small villages around this region." Says Rea as she laughs cheerfully.

"You're the Head of the Titania Knights, aren't you? I think it might be a better idea to learn about such things…"

"Don't worry yourself with significant details! Hahahaha!" said Rea once again while laughing, almost maniacally.

_"__What is this, a fraud!? How can an airhead oblivious girl like her be the head of the Titania…? My internal image kind of hurting me…" _thought Kei in his heart after looking at Rea's way of thinking.

"Leaving that aside… What is this mysterious event that you're talking about earlier?" ask Kei.

"Well, from what I know, it seems that every night a girl from the village would disappear suddenly. And 2 days later the townspeople would find the girl sleeping soundly while being tied to a tree."

"Hmm… is there any information about what really happened?"

"From what we've been dug up in until now, every victim would hear a girl's voice the night when they are being taken. It called out to them, and when they woke up after they'd gone to sleep, it was either after the townspeople found her, or they woke up while still being tied."

"In your opinion, what is happening?"

"I suspect something like a network of human trafficking when I first get my ear in this case. But that wouldn't be right because the victim was released 2 days after the abduction day. So I have no lead to what the perpetrator might be after. So that's why the Principal asked me to do more investigation while recommending you for the job." Rea explained the situation with a completely different expression than the carefree attitude she had before.

"Ah… So how are we going to start the investigation?"

"Well, since the information network just got us so far, the three of us will be inducing a field investigation~ so let's get ready and we're going to go right after sunset."

"Wait a moment, did you just say 'three of us'?"

Kei cut Rea's sentence and ask that particular question with a confused look on his face. To him, this "favor" only includes Rea and himself, based on what he had observed until now. But there is no confirmation that he did to know exactly how much people that is included.

"Is there a problem? Of course there will be three of us since I don't want to protect a human if something bad would come up, so I arrange someone to keep me company. And you know what they say about taking a trip alone with a boy."

"I see. Then I'll meet you at the Academy gate right at sunset. And one more thing, that superstition is just a joke made by mothers to make sure their daughter doesn't do stupid things that would make them regret it."

Kei walk away while saying those things, a small smile formed at the end of his lips, while Rea is watching him slowly disappearing to the school grounds.

"He's gone now, Claire. You can come out."

Rea call out and not long after that, a girl with long dark blue hair come out from her hiding spot and stand near Rea while looking at the direction Kei had disappeared to.

"He's lot more serious than when he is fighting. It's actually refreshing to see that." Comment Claire.

"Yeah, I see that fight. He's practically toying with you yesterday." Reply Rea with a slight giggle.

"Don't put more salt to my wound, Captain. I don't need more humiliation than I have now."

Claire is getting annoyed as she remember the ungraceful victory that she had yesterday noon, but just after a moment her composure is back to how it is before.

"Sorry, I just can't picture you who is one of the brightest fighter in this Academy were to be completely played by that man. By the way, are your preparations finished?"

"Yes, I can go whenever. But I'd like to ask something before you go."

"What is it?"

Rea who is ready leave turn her face once again towards Claire.

"Why did you didn't tell him that I was also in the team, but instead you just told him like you did earlier?"

"I didn't have to, since even if you're not the one that was coming with us, nothing will change."

"I see."

"Be ready, we will gather at the rendezvous point at five."


	4. Chapter 3 - A Sudden Happening

Chapter 3 – A Sudden Happening

The sun is still up in the sky but in no time that star is going to vanish beyond the horizon. The sky is now colored with reddish color near horizon and a bit of cerulean left which is gradually turning dark.

Kei is already waiting at the gate where he, Rea, and one more person that he has yet to know are going to gather to go to a village to the north called Cloud Hill to do some investigation.

But there is one problem, those people that is supposed to meet him there are still hasn't arrived yet, which made Kei a little annoyed by the fact that he is the first to arrive.

"If this favor isn't coming from the Principal I wouldn't believe her being the Captain of the Titania." Mutter Kei grumpily while looking at the sky.

Not much time later Kei can hear noises that sounded like horse shoe, and he take a peek over the gate and see Rea and one other girl that he know riding a horse, while Rea is holding a leash of an another horse.

"Looks like you've been waiting for us." greet Rea.

"Of course I am, but you and that Princess really took your time preparing, huh?" said Kei as he look in the direction of Claire.

"What? I'm not the one at fault!" reply Claire as soon Kei finishes his word.

"I never said that." He retorts.

"Just please get on the horse, Mitsurugi." order Rea.

"Yes Ma'am."

With a little effort, Kei throw himself up the horseback and grab the leash of the horse as the three of them start to ride slowly along the one way road that leads in and out from the Academy.

"I was wondering, why is it that this Academy forbids Mach?" ask Kei to Rea who is riding beside him.

"I don't know the details, but it seems that our founder didn't like the idea that even though Dragleid are able to use magic, but we keep using the Mach which is the one of the purpose why the Earth is decaying these past centuries." Explain Rea.

"I see… so that's why I hardly sees any guard Mach, but instead we use a normal curfew scheduled patrol and guards."

"Just curious, but what's a Mach?" ask Claire from behind the two of them, jumping into the conversation.

"That's right, Escatina came from the Royal Palace so she wouldn't really be familiar with those machinery." says Rea.

"I don't think being from the Royal Palace has anything to do with her knowing or not." Comment Kei.

"It actually does, Mitsurugi. Since the royal blood are not allowed to see and know about the outer world outside of this particular continent."

"That's such a troublesome rule, what about it anyway?"

"You two, haven't you forgotten something?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. Mach is what you called automated machinery, but it is not moving under any magic. You maybe have heard about the Chronos Academy, where all those things are manufactured."

Rea's sudden explanation leaves a quite bizarre expression on Claire's face. But the two of them at the front can't really say anything since the Royal Knight Family wasn't really focused on dealing with inter-country issues such as that, and being secluded to be trained as a Dragleid is preventing her to have knowledge of other country, especially the Machbard where the Chronos Academy is placed.

"I see… I still have many things to learn…" mutter Claire to herself.

"Aren't you supposed to learn that as a Princess later on? Don't push yourself with something you can do later." Comment Kei.

"Well, yeah, Mr. Lazy. I'm not really interested at sitting at my ass while waiting when I can do something."

Her retort didn't scratch Kei even a bit; he was just throwing back a little "Hmm." and then continues to concentrate his mind to ride the horse.

The three of them really didn't talk after that since the road leading to the Cloud Hill since the land road leading there is covered with thick forest that is tricky to navigate about. A royal mapmaker has put a special rune inside the forest so that people can pass the forest easily, but since the rune is concentrated in a spell based on transmitting a special sound it was imperative that the three of them didn't talk to make sure they didn't missed even single one of those runes.

After a few hours navigating through the forest the three of them finally arrived at a small wooden hut in the middle of that forest, probably built there by some people that before had passed through this forest.

"We should rest here for now, it has been some time since our departure and I'm sure you all are exhausted." said Kei as he jumped down from the horse.

"And you are not exhausted?" ask Rea.

"Well, I do, but it is better if we take turns in sleeping. I don't like the atmosphere in this forest at all."

Kei said that as busily cutting dead branch off the trees that was growing near the hut, then he gather it at one place near the hut.

Using a match that he brought in his backpack he lit up a campfire using those branches that he collected earlier.

"You're quite prepared." comment Claire.

"I need to; this is quite a favor after all. There is no telling of what going to happen after all."

"Aren't we just going to go to investigate some things there?" ask Claire again.

"Kei have a point, since there is nothing we can do to shed some light about what is happening there at the Cloud Hill. I made sure you participate in this mission because there is a possibility that we have to fight someone, or something."

After hearing what Rea had to say, Claire muttered something to herself, but her voice is so small that Kei and Rea end up didn't notice anything.

"The fire is ready it seems. I brought some canned food if you want some." said Kei as he pull out some canned meat and soup from his backpack, and also a small pan.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

Rea crouch near Kei as she picks up one of the canned food, her attention seems to be directed towards the ingredient of that canned food.

"Are you always this prepared? You even brought food." comment Claire.

"That kind of question… Don't tell me you didn't bring any."

"I don't." answer Rea and Claire together.

Claire aside, Rea's answer in unexpected, but Kei wasn't as surprised as he expected to. He suspects that this is going to happen after all.

"I see, these canned food won't be enough for the three of us. I was hoping that these foods will last until we arrive at Cloud Hill, but I guess I can find some wild animal in this forest."

"Wild animals?" said Claire.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"No, I was just shocked that you would come up with an idea like that, that didn't even cross my mind."

"You will be once you've taste how is it to survive in a wild jungle all by yourself."

A hazy expression spread along Kei's face, but he was already walking away into the forest with his sword in his hand before Claire had any chance to respond.

"He seems awfully serious about this…" comment Rea, her arms is crossed.

"He seems to be a different person, but he is always serious I think…"

"Hmm, what makes you think that?"

"I don't know, it just a feeling I get whenever I'm around him, like at the matchups."

"Hmm, I see."

As Rea said that, her eyes gazed away deep into the forest, the tone in her voice also weakened, but Claire didn't realize it at all.

After an hour, Kei is back with a bundle of hare meat hanging by a makeshift rope by his hand, but what he find back there in the hut was only the trickling remains of the ember in the campfire, and two young girls that was sleeping carelessly at the top of their bag.

_"__Just how foolish these two women can get despite their ranks in the Academy!?" _mutter Kei to himself.

After lighting another fire, Kei started to skin the meat that he found before and cook them, as it would have gone bad by tomorrow if he didn't cook it. While constantly sighing at the fact that he was also left to patron two high ranking person through the night.

Done with eating and all, Kei put aside the cooked hare meat close enough to the fire so it would warm up, but not burning them. While he himself sit by the fire and watches quietly as the trickling sound of the woods burning fills the dark night in that forest.

"Uh… hmm?"

"You woke up, quite early."

As Claire groaned while stretching her sore limbs, she was looking rather confused and averts her look to Kei.

"What are you doing?" said Claire, seems to be half-asleep.

"Just cleaning after the fire, and could you please wake our knights captain over there? We should be going on our way soon." said Kei as he looked over to Rea, who is still asleep.

"Did you just order me now?" said Claire.

"It is actually a favor, but if that's the way you look at it, then I prefer to wake her up myself. You may want to wash your face first with the water inside the hut, Your Excellency." retort Kei, intending to mock the Princess.

"I'll do it, I'll do it."

After letting out a small sigh, Claire quietly rocks Rea body to wake her up. After a little time, Rea finally woke up.

"Ugh… What time is it?" ask Rea while trying to stretch her limbs.

"It's morning already, so we are going to continue our journey towards the Cloud Hill." said Claire as she tidying up her own stuff.

After some time the three of them taking to prepare and eating, their journey had resumed from where they left off. Still using the same stallion they use from the other day after feeding it properly, they have already on the road once again.

Meanwhile back at the city.

Lily who witnessed the event a few days ago couldn't help but to remember it every time she look outside to the roads. The building that was damaged was still being repaired, and showing its former shape after being crushed around by that gigantic monster.

The cracked wood at the shop left by Kei lunging at the monster are also left there.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Lily snapped.

"ARGH! Just what the heck is he doing!? Couldn't he at least say something if he's already better!?"

"Lily… you're scaring the costumer…" said her mother while looking at her daughter who looked like ready to explode.

"Ah! I'm sorry mom."

The reason she was so flustered and angry are the letter she received a yesterday. It was from Kei, and in that letter he only said that he is going somewhere for a while, and nothing whatsoever mention his condition or anything like that.

Communicating with Kei for so long through letter, Lily certainly had known Kei's habit of never saying anything in his letter regarding himself. But Lily just can't take it anymore, thus her outburst at the shop.

"Are you thinking of Kei again?" said her mother teasingly.

"Wh-Why would you think that!?" she bursts out in embarassment.

"Hmm…"

Lily's mother gave her daughter a teasing smile, while enjoying the red beet color that slowly painted her daughter's face.

"Mom, stop teasing Lily, she'll slip off when she thinks about him." Lily's father follows up.

"Ugh… Father, Mother! Stop teasing me!"

Amused by how their daughter is flustered so much over a single man, Lily's parent laughs together, making the crowded shop even livelier.

On the other hand, Kei who has been mentioned over and over again sneezed hard, while riding his horse.

"Wow… You got a cold?" Rea ask, while looking at Kei.

Kei only shook his head, while trying to clean his nose. Claire in the other hand didn't care even for a bit, she just quietly riding her horse.

The three of them had traveled quite far, but the village they called the Cloud Hill are not even yet visible. That, and yet they still ride with the same speed as ever, since they know they will arrive by sunset with that speed, a perfect time.

By afternoon, those 3 once again take a rest. They happen to stumble into a big tree with enough shade that is the perfect place to take a lunch rest.

"But really, I didn't expect that you're this good of a cook." said Rea, complimenting the food that Kei prepared.

"It's not that impressive, I only prepare the canned food after all."

Claire didn't talk at all, like how she is since this morning.

"Claire? You seemed quiet today, what's wrong?" ask Rea.

"It's nothing wrong." she reply, eating the food quietly.

"You can tell me straight out if the food is not meeting your expectation, Princess." Kei followed up.

Hearing that, Claire quickly eats the left of her food as fast as she can.

"Thank you for the food!"

After saying that, Claire didn't say anything and just quickly mounted her horse and ride away, leaving the other two quite speechless.

"You know, you are the only person who can make her hate a person that much as far as I know." Rea smiled.

"Is that a compliment? It's not that encouraging."

"Well, it is a compliment, in a way. But moreover, shouldn't we move too? She'll get too far at this rate."

Rea looked over to the road; Claire's figure is already looking like a small silhouette in the horizon.

"Yeah… I'll be done in a second anyway." said Kei as he takes care of the eating utensils.

After taking care of the bowl and putting the trashes inside a separate bag, Kei and Rea chase after Claire who is already far away.

By the time they were able to catch up to her, those three was already inside the area where the geographical phenomenon from which the village got its name settles in.

"This place really lives up to its name…" Kei muttered.

"Well, we're not that far from the actual village, the map says once we're inside the mist it's only about one kilometres left." Rea respond as she read the map in her hand.

"So I guess the name Cloud Hill was never the name of the village, but the name of the entire area." Claire joins.

Inside that mist, it is really hard to see forward, or even in any direction. The view was really obstructed that they can only see to a few metres ahead. Claire who is still in the lead, slows down as she saw something, it was a road direction carved on a makeshift wooden pole.

"According to this… We should go that way." Claire point her finger at one of the road, it seems to be a way uphill.

"Where the other one leads to then?" ask Kei.

"River, it says."

"You guys can go on ahead to the village then; I'm going to the river first."

Kei slowly ride his horse to the slightly downhill road to their left.

"Are you sure?" ask Rea.

"Yeah," Kei stopped for a bit, then continue heading down. "I won't get lost as long as I see that sign."

In only a few moments later, Kei already disappears into the mist, even the sound of the horse stepping can't be heard anymore.

"Shall we, then?" Claire says.

Rea didn't answer, she only nod once. And those two continue their way uphill, to the village.

As those two women slowly climbing the road, it was clear why the people of the village build the village at the higher place. Since as they slowly ascend, the mist density slowly decreases, making their view clearer.

"I guess the mist is thicker the lower the land is." comment Claire.

"And now I wonder if Kei is not lost yet." Rea said mischievously.

"If he's not that stupid yet, I think he is going to be just fine."

"Ooh~ I sense that your image of him has improved." Rea smiled.

"Your imagination sure is wild, Captain." Claire replied, coldly.

Meanwhile, Kei who is heading down to the river, finally realize that the mist is thicker there.

"Damn it, I barely can see anything here…"

Kei use his left hand to slowly rub the horse neck, calming it down. The stallion must've been nervous in that heavy thick mist.

With the absence of the sun light in that thick mist, Kei had no way to track the time but judging by the time he separate from the others, it must be nearing sunset by now.

As the road start to get steeper down, Kei had no choice but to tie the horse at the tree near the road, which is now really hard to see. The good thing is that it seems Kei is now really close to the river, since he can hear the flowing water not far from him.

"Wait here, okay?" Kei rub his horse again, calming it down before getting down to the river.

With the amount of the mist near the river now, it was so dense that Kei had no choice but to light up a small lantern that he brought.

"Geez, good thing I left the horse tied there… One thing wrong and she'll die…"

Kei sighed, as he sees the steep trail way down. The riverbank is filled with tree roots and sharp boulder, and if the horse or Kei himself fall down there, it would certainly end a life.

But the river is not as far as Kei thought it would be, as he already arrives to the water side. Kei quickly take out the water canteen from his bag and fill it with the water from the river. And before he gets back, he sips the water from the river for himself with his palm.

"Wow… As expected from water in the middle of this thick forest, it is refreshing."

"HELP!-….."

"Finally... That was one long journey."

Rea stretches out her body as the two of them finally arrived at their destination, the village of Cloud Hill. And much to their surprise, the village had no mist at all; it was clear as day there.

"At last, no more mist." Claire sighed, relieved.

With no qualms those two quickly find themselves an inn to stay, and they decide to stay in one room, economical reason as Rea explained.

"But still, are you sure we should get into the inn this early?" Claire asked.

"What do you mean? It's getting late out."

"Yes, I know it is going late, but don't you think that brat is late?"

"Hmm, are you worried about him?" tease Rea.

"Captain, you should stop that… As you know we came here in the first place is to investigate the missing people."

"Well, it's true that he is kind of late, the sun is ready to set after all. Then let's go outside to make sure, we can also search for something to eat in the meantime."

"Okay."

Starving, Rea and Claire start to wander around the village to wait for Kei, and also to eat while investigating the recent mysterious accident that have occurred in that village.

"This place is livelier than I thought." comment Claire as she observe the activity of the residents.

"Yeah, who would've guessed that a place like this exist inside all of those mist." responded Rea.

The village is bustling with activity, from the people than come in and out from the local restaurant to eat, and the market at the side of the road.

"So, when are we going to investigate?" ask Claire.

"First thing tomorrow morning after we get our breakfast, I would like to rest after all that horse riding. Beside if another person is missing tonight, we could ask the person directly tomorrow."

"I see. I myself would prefer to catch the perpetrator red handed in the act, but I guess with no lead that is going to be impossible."

"That said, I wonder how far the river is, Kei is taking too long." Rea sighed.

After walking around for a bit, the two of them stopped and enter a restaurant.

"Welcome!" said the attendant.

Claire and Rea sit at one of the table there, the one near the window. After a moment one of the waitresses came to their table.

"Excuse me, would you like to order?" ask that waitress to Rea and Claire.

"Give us your recommendation then, we're new here." said Rea.

"How about today's special then? A special stew made from the villages natural resources, and milk freshly taken this morning"

"That sounds good, 2 of those then."

"2 special menu, please wait for a moment." reply the waitress as she wrote the order down.

"Oh, there is one thing that I would like to ask." said Rea, stopping the waitress who is ready to go.

"Yes?" answer the waitress.

"We found a sign that says a road to the river before arriving here, is the river far away from that sign?" ask Rea again.

"Ah, the sign by the crossroads, isn't it? The river isn't that far from there, if you walk maybe it'll take 10 minutes, but make sure you don't go there at this time, it's dangerous." explain the waitress.

"Dangerous?" Claire asked, her interest seems to be piqued.

"Yes, since the mist would get thicker as night falls, the people around here would avoid that place in the night since the trail itself is dangerous if you can't see what is in front of you."

"I see, thank you then." Rea says, allowing the waitress to go back to her work.

"Captain, what do you think?" Claire asks.

"Well, something definitely doesn't feel right about this place, but I'm sure Kei is just taking his time to get out safely. But before worrying about that, I want to eat!"

Saying something like that passionately, Rea switched gear into her carefree self.

Meanwhile, at the river Kei who heard someone screaming for help tensed up. He stands and looked around him, but even with the help of the lantern in his hand, he can't even see anything other than his own hand.

"The heck!?" he muttered.

"-ELP!"

Another scream, the voice small smaller than before, and it sounds like whoever screaming has their mouth muffled.

"Tsk! This is no time to fool around!" Kei quickly moves toward the source of the sound, taking care that he didn't hurt himself in the process.

Even more than he imagined the wilderness of the area is really making it difficult to move. Kei felt lucky he brought the lantern now that there is an emergency situation in front of him.

The scream is still can be heard by Kei, but it keeps getting more and more muffled than before, until after some time Kei can't hear anything anymore.

"If you can hear me, make some noise!" Kei shouted out.

But there is no reply; the river is the only noise he can hear.

"Tch! Am I too late!?"

"HELP!"

The reply he waited for finally came, and it sounds clearer than before. Hearing that scream made Kei moving even faster than he was before now that he can hear clearly where the scream was coming from.

After a couple of minutes of searching the place where he last hear the scream, Kei finally found the person who was screaming. It was a girl, tightly tied to one of the tree with the soft root of a tree and her mouth showed a trace of being stuffed with leaves, which explained the muffled voice. She is now unconscious, maybe due to exhaustion.

"Hey! Are you okay!?"

Kei tried to wake her up, but it seems to be a futile attempt as she didn't woke up. There were remains of chewed leaves near her feet "She must've chewed the leaves in her mouth in order to shout, and that made her pass out. Good thing I was able to find her…" Kei sighed.

After cutting the root with his dagger, Kei carefully carries that girl body with his hand, but then as he look back to where he came from and remember the way he came down, a sigh got out.

"I wonder when I'll arrive at the village now…"

Back at the village there was a ruckus going on, and it was right at the restaurant where Rea and Claire are now at. Interested, Rea goes to the bar and decide to ask some question.

"Is there something wrong?" said Rea as she arrives at the front of the bar.

The owner, who is an elderly lady whose up until then was talking with one of the waitresses quickly look at Rea.

"Ah, no, one of the waitress is missing it seems. She is usually lenient on her time, so I would just think she is going somewhere slacking off. But since there is so many people missing lately we were just worried." explain the owner.

"I see… Thank you." Rea excuse herself.

"What is it?" Claire asked Rea who sat back down.

"It seems one of the employer is missing, and looking by how it is lately, it seems to be one of those kidnapping we're investigating." explain Rea.

"Are you sure the culprit is not Kei?" Claire says nonchalantly. "Just how much water is that brat is going to take anyway." she complained.

"You're right… He sure is suspiciously late." Rea replied, looking at the dark night sky.

On the other hand, Kei finally reaches the tree where he tied his horse, and when he arrives there the horse tramples lively, it seemed to be surprised.

"I hope I won't get too late to the village, I need to find a place to drop off this girl too." Kei mutter to himself.

Hanging his bag to the saddle, Kei carefully put the girl on his back and get on the horse himself after untying the leash from the tree.

"Finally… It must be so late now… now I regret I didn't bring my clock with me to keep track of the time…" Kei sighed.

At last, Kei is now heading towards to the village after he takes a turn at the sign where he separate from the others.

It took him much shorter time to get uphill to the village than when he went down to get the water from the river. But as he gets inside the village, Kei is welcomed with a way he wouldn't expect.


End file.
